Mother Bridge of Love

Once there were two women who never knew each other.

One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.

Two different lives shaped to make you one.

One became your guiding star; the other became your sun.

The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.

The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.

One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.

One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home that she could not provide.

The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.

And now you ask, of course you do, the question others ask me too:

This place or your birthplace – Which are you a daughter of?

Both of them, my darling, and two different kinds of love.

-Anonymous

Two years ago, on May 15th a mother of a beautiful little two month old baby girl made the decision that she was unable to raise her daughter. Through her heartbreaking loss, I have been blessed. The bittersweet reality of how we've come to know and love our daughter is often in my thoughts. I know that as Lily gets older, I will have to explain how we have become a family. It is my hope that the above poem will help to explain how truly special she is.

This poem is featured on the wonderful website The Mother’s Bridge of Love. http://www.motherbridge.org/ This organization was founded to foster understanding between the East and the West and to help internationally adopted children understand their Chinese heritage.